The present invention relates to a method for retrieving information with image information and text information being linked to each other, and more particularly to a method for retrieving information with a plurality of image information being overlaid with each other in a limited area.
The plan concerning an area has conventionally been made in such a manner that the feature or the like of that area are investigated by using a map and detailed information is acquired by retrieving a relational information database (hereinafter abbreviated to DB) concerning that area. Usually, a describing language or SQL (Structured Query Language) for retrieval is used for the retrieval of DB.
For example, a retrieval system using text information has been disclosed in JP-A-5-165401 entitled "MAP RETRIEVAL SYSTEM". In the disclosed system, a map database is retrieved with a telephone number used as a key for getting the result of retrieval so that the corresponding map is displayed and a marking is made at a position on the map corresponding to the telephone number. In displaying the map, an address and a subscriber's name associated with the telephone number acquired by retrieving the database are displayed.
Also, JP-A-4-155474 entitled "IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND SYSTEM" discloses a preferred image processing method in which attribute information of an area to be retrieved on an arrangement diagram such as a map or layout is outputted with a correspondence to an area on the arrangement diagram. The disclosed method includes inputting an arrangement diagram, inputting a figure to define the boundary of a predetermined area in the arrangement diagram by use of an image input device, overlaying the inputted arrangement diagram with the boundary defining figure, and storing the overlaid composition of the diagram and the figure into a memory, thereby facilitating the processing of information concerning the predetermined area in the arrangement diagram.
A city planning operation is an example of a planning operation that uses maps. In the city planning operation, development planning is investigated and made on a desk on the basis of various materials or data. The materials include maps such as the city planning map, residential map and cadastral map, and information which is stored in a database (DB) and concerns residents and fixed properties.
In many cases, the city planning operation includes the followings tasks.
(1) A person acquires personal information concerning residents having their homes in a designated area or landowners possessing their lands in the area, administrative information concerning regulations defined in that area, and information shown in various maps and makes mutual reference to the information.
(2) He processes a work similar to the above work (1) while partially changing the area. In this case, he may change conditions for acquiring the other information while referring to the acquired information. Thus, the investigation of the planning about a plurality of areas requires roughly getting the information of the areas and investigating, each area while making the comparison with the rough information obtained for the areas.
(3) A work similar to the above work (1) is repeated by not only changing an area to be investigated but also selecting information corresponding to the investigation.
Namely, the planning operation is made in many cases in such a manner that the operation and investigation are made while simultaneously viewing a plurality of maps for the same area. For example, in the case where a plan of a new road is to be made, it is necessary for him to know information concerning residents in areas along the new road by use of a residential map for the purpose of title negotiation and by using a map indicative of the ownership of lands to know information concerning the landowners and regulations determined for the respective areas.
However, it is difficult for him to plan while simultaneously referring to the plurality of maps and confirming detailed resident information and land information in the DB. The reason is that in the conventional system, the map and the DB are realized without a relation to each other and he must make the DB retrieval of relevant information while departing from the map.
In many cases, it is conventional that information necessary for a planning operation has its value in a locational relation (such as arrangement) displayed on a plan or diagram such as a map. In the conventional system, information retrieved from a DB is used in a form written down in the map. Therefore, the reference to the locational relation requires extra labor and a retrieval range is limited in many cases.
In the conventional system, since a system for displaying maps and a system for retrieving DB's are realized as separate systems, it is required that the retrieval of the DB having information stored therein and relevant to the maps should be made separately from the work of using the maps. For such circumstances, in the retrieval system using text information disclosed by JP-A-5-165401 entitled "MAP RETRIEVAL SYSTEM", the retrieval of DB information relevant to a map is made by retrieving a map database with text information of a telephone number used as a key for getting the result of retrieval so that not only a relevant map but also text information associated with the telephone number are displayed. However, this prior art has no disclosure of a solution for globally understanding a map and selecting objects from the map.
On the other hand, in the method disclosed by JP-A-4-155474 entitled "IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD AND SYSTEM", the processing of information concerning a predetermined area in an arrangement diagram is facilitated by performing an image processing in which the arrangement diagram is overlaid, by use of a marker, with a figure to define the boundary of the predetermined area in the arrangement diagram. However, this prior art has no disclosure as to a method of designating the predetermined area while making the trial of retrieval. Also, in the case where an SQL is used for retrieval, not only the retrieval requires considerable labor but also it is impossible for him to make the direct observation of the change of information on a map in the process of retrieval in a trial-and-error manner.